Our country is messed up. This political correctness junk is getting out of hand. From Paula Dean to Cooper and many before, our country crucifies people and beats them all the way down for one careless word or statement. The guy apologized, leave it be!!!Now he is going to 'counseling' and being withheld from team practices over using the N word in a moment of anger and drunkenness. Ridiculous!http://espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp13/s ... counseling

Cooper states:

Quote:

"The last few days have been incredibly difficult for me," Cooper said. "My actions were inexcusable. The more I think about what I did, the more disgusted I get. I keep trying to figure out how I could have said something so repulsive, and what I can do to make things better.

"Right now, I think it's important for me to take some time to reflect on this situation. The organization and my teammates have been extremely supportive, but I also realize that there are people who will have a tough time forgiving me for what I've done. The best thing for me, and for the team, is to step away for a period of time."

Really?? Why don't you cut yourself and jump off a bridge while you are at it Riley. You are a horrible person that made a mistake. How unforgivable!!(sarcasm) The guy is beating himself up with shame and self-flagellation over one slip of the tongue. How many african americans use the N-word on a daily basis, or call white people 'crackers' and other negative terms? The fact that this is even news shows how pathetic and petty our society has become.

I hear you PHIN. Like I said in another post, if his team mates have never said the word nor do they have any music on their IPODS with the word, then yes, Cooper should pay. The problem is Hypocrisy in this country. IF you are Gay, you protest and say your piece. If you are CHristian and say your piece, you are a Bigot, homophobe, and/or a racist. The black community has to set the example and not use the word and not buy the rap crap that is put there degrading them and their woman. The rappers rap about the hood yet they live in mansions waaaay away form the hood.

What no one is talking about is the slim that recorded him & then once he said it. Sold it.

The fact he was upset at the time is the key point for myself. People say hurtful things all the time when they are upset, even to the people they care about the most. This is such a non issue, that is getting way to much air play.

What is actually pathetic is everyone wanting to beat Cooper up over this. He has more than taken responsibility for it. I find that his teammates not having his back the biggest concern. McCoy could have killed this with a better comment.

Our country is messed up. This political correctness junk is getting out of hand. From Paula Dean to Cooper and many before, our country crucifies people and beats them all the way down for one careless word or statement. The guy apologized, leave it be!!!Now he is going to 'counseling' and being withheld from team practices over using the N word in a moment of anger and drunkenness. Ridiculous!

I am extremely sensitive to the name slur calling, but this entire Riley Cooper situation is out of hand in my opinion. The fact that these GROWN MEN and professional athletes are divided amongst each other in the locker room over one incident of an immature drunk act is being taken to the extreme.

I do NOT condone what Riley did at all, he was way wrong, but for all this to go to "sensitivity" training to me is just a bunch of hog wash. Sure have him talk to the team psychiatrists and have the head coach and owner sit him down and read him the riot act, then the head coach bring him into the locker room and basically squash this like a bug now versus all, this ohhh Riley said the "N" word and my feelings are hurt and now I don't know if I can play with this guy, blah....blah...blah...

The idea of racism "unfortunately" is out there everyday and can come from all races at any given time. It was a huge blunder on Cooper's part, but my hope is that people learn to forgive and forget (assuming Cooper is sincere).

What is even more disheartening to me was watching Daren Sharper on the NFL Network basically say that the Eagles should cut him on the spot and Cooper does not belong in the NFL and that if he were on his team he would have gone to the owner and Head Coach and said, I am not playing on this team with this guy and basically with an ultimatum of who stays or who goes. Yeah right is what I say to all that.

At least Michael Irvin was the opposite of Sharper and his response was more realistic to me plus he even pointed out how much that word is blurted out in society (Not to make that right, but just a fact) and how we just need to get along and coexist around all that.

In summary, did Riley Cooper do an immature drunken stupid act, absolutely, no question he was offensive in what he said, but should he now be banished from his NFL career? Be considered a problem child that cannot get along playing and hanging out with others? IMO, no.

I don't know the guy from Adam, but my guess is his world is now turned upside down and he has certainly learned a very valuable life lesson. He made a terrible choice, but if his apologies are sincere and he clears the air with his bosses and teammates then I think others should do the same. Hopefully, in a similar concept to Michael Vick having to regain face from his Dog Days, Cooper can do the same.

To me, Deion Sanders had the best take on the whole situation when he asked (and I'm paraphrasing here because I don't remember the exact quote) "We say it to each other all the time in our music or casual conversation, but when another race says it, we're offended? Who's the racist?"